!Hero (album) explained

!Hero
Type:	Studio
Artist:	Various artists
Cover:	!Hero (album).jpg
Released:	September 2, 2003
Genre:	Christian rock
Length:	1 hour, 47 minutes
Label:	ForeFront / Emd
Producer:	Pete Stewart

!Hero is an album featuring the songs from the rock opera, !Hero. It is based on the question, "What if Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania?" The rock opera modernizes Jesus' last two years on earth and features a cast of many well-known Christian rock artists with Michael Tait, Rebecca St. James, and Mark Stuart as the three main characters: Hero (Jesus), Maggie (Mary Magdalene), and Petrov (Peter).

Reviews

Chris Well, writing for CCM Magazine, reviewed it favorably and stated, "!Hero is inventive, rhythmic and should, no doubt, spark debate everywhere about the real Jesus.On the other hand, Andree Farias of Christian Music Today, wrote, "!Heros attempt to be all things to all people is well-intentioned, its 'replayability' value is minimal, deeming it no more than a glorified post-concert souvenir for the live stage show."

Primary cast

Michael Tait as Hero
Mark Stuart of Audio Adrenaline as Petrov
Rebecca St. James as Maggie
Paul Wright as Special Agent Hunter
Nirva Dorsaint as Mama Mary
John Cooper of Skillet as Chief Rabbi Kai
Michael Quinlan as Jude
Matt Hammitt of Sanctus Real as blind cripple
T-Bone as Jairus
Donnie Lewis as Jairus' wife
Pete Stewart as Chief of police Devlin
Bob Farrell as Governor Pilate
John Grey as Preacher Rabbi at the wedding
Nathaniel Lee as Janitor Angel
GRITS as the Wedding Party
Pete and Donna Stewart as the bride and groom at the wedding

Secondary cast and musicians

Todd Collins – percussion
Eddie DeGarmo – piano, background vocals, executive producer
DJ Maj – scratching
Jason Eskridge – background vocals
Kim Fleming – choir
Brad Ford – vocals, assistant executive producer
Robert Gay – children's chorus
Rachel Goldstein – choir
Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson – harmonica
Tony Lucido – bass guitar
Rick May – drums
Ann McCrary – choir
Antonio Phelon – choir, background vocals
John Ray – choir
Becky Robertson – children's chorus
Joanna Robertson – children's chorus
Thomas Romines – choir
Pete Stewart – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, piano, electric piano
Greg Thomas – choir
Patti Thomas – choir
Michelle Valentine – choir
Paul Wright III

Support staff

Eddie DeGarmo – executive producer
Brad Ford – assistant executive producer
Carl Marsh – Fairlight, string arrangement
Bethany Newman – art director, design
Marcelo Pennell – audio engineer
Carter Robertson – choir director
Dan Shike – mastering
Pete Stewart – audio engineer, producer, programming
Greg Thomas – choir director

References

Web site: Hip Hope Hits 2005 . Aug 23, 2018 . Anon . 2018 . AllMusic . https://web.archive.org/web/20180823141943/https://www.allmusic.com/album/hip-hope-hits-2005-mw0000701757 . August 23, 2018 . live . mdy-all .
Web site: Anon . 2017 . Original Soundtrack - The Hero: The Rock Opera - Track Listing . August 30, 2017 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20170831093402/http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-hero-the-rock-opera-mw0000599385 . August 31, 2017 . live . mdy-all .
Web site: Anon . 2017a . Original Soundtrack - The Hero: The Rock Opera - Credits . August 30, 2017 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20170831093348/http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-hero-the-rock-opera-mw0000599385/credits . August 31, 2017 . live . mdy-all .
Web site: DiBiase . John . !Hero: The Rock Opera Review . https://web.archive.org/web/20170820033514/http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/concerts/!Hero.asp . August 20, 2017 . September 3, 2003 . August 30, 2017 . Jesus Freak Hideout . live . mdy-all .
Web site: Farias . Andree . Sep 2003 . !Hero: The Rock Opera . https://web.archive.org/web/20090906211228/http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2003/hero.html . September 6, 2009. February 15, 2016 . dead.
Chris . Well . Various: !Hero . . February 14, 2016 . Oct 2003 . 61 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120510025152/http://ht.salemweb.net/ccm/ccmmagazine/pdf/200310.pdf . May 10, 2012 . mdy-all .